Verification of batch items

Abstract

There is described a method of processing a batch of items provided by a first to a second party, the method comprising: generating a record of data relating to the value of a detectable characteristic of each item in the batch; and transmitting the record or an abstract thereof and the batch of items from the first party to the second party by different routes. A system for producing data for use in such a method and a system for verifying data according to such a method are also described.

1 . A method of processing a batch of items provided by a first to a second party, the method comprising: 
 generating a record ( 52 ) of data relating to the value of a detectable characteristic of each item in the batch; and    transmitting the record or an abstract thereof and the batch of items from the first party to the second party by different routes.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving the record or abstract and the batch of items at the second party;    obtaining a sample of items from the batch;    deriving from the record or abstract an expected value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the sample; and    verifying the batch of items by comparing the expected value of the detectable characteristic thus derived with the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the items in said sample.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving the record or abstract and the batch of items at the second party;    deriving from the record or abstract an expected value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch; and    verifying the batch of items by comparing the expected value of the detectable characteristic thus derived with the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the items in said batch.    
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  further comprising, prior to the step of transmitting the record ( 52 ) of data: 
 accumulating a count of the total value ( 58 ) of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch; and  
 comparing ( 54 ) the total value ( 58 ) of the detectable characteristic thus accumulated with a total value of the detectable characteristic derived from said record ( 52 ).  
 
     
     
         5 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising, prior to the step of transmitting the record ( 52 ) of data: 
 accumulating a count of the total number of items in the batch.    
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4  or  claim 5 , wherein the step of accumulating a count of the total value of the detectable characteristic and/or the total number of the items in the batch is conducted in a secure vault.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising, after the step of transmitting the record or abstract and the batch of items: 
 deriving an expected total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch from the record or abstract; and    comparing the expected total value thus derived with the actual total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch.    
     
     
         8 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising, after the step of transmitting the record or abstract and the batch of items: 
 deriving an expected number of consecutive items in the batch having the same value of the detectable characteristic as each other from the record or abstract; and    comparing the expected number thus derived with the actual number of consecutive items in the batch having said same value of the detectable characteristic as each other.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the record provides a distribution profile of the detectable characteristic amongst the items in the batch.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the record or abstract is transmitted from the first party to the second party in electronic format.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the record or abstract is transmitted via the internet.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detectable characteristic comprises a physical parameter of the items in the batch.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the physical parameter is the weight of the items in the batch.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the physical parameter is the size format of the items in the batch.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detectable characteristic comprises a rating parameter of the items in the batch.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first party is a mailer, the second party is a postal service and the items in the batch are items of mail.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16  as dependent on  claim 15 , wherein the rating parameter is the postage value of the items of mail.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 16  as dependent on  claim 15 , wherein the rating parameter is a postal service code corresponding to the postage class and/or mode of sending of the items of mail.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the detectable characteristic comprises the destination address of the items of mail.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 16  or any one of  claims 17  to  19  as dependent on  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 generating a postage indicium for each item of mail in the batch based on the data relating to the value of the detectable characteristic of said item;  
 associating the respective postage indicia with the respective items of mail prior to transmitting the batch from the mailer to the postal service; and  
 after receiving the batch of items at the postal service, examining the postage indicia of the items of mail sampled from the batch, thereby to derive the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the sampled item for comparison with the expected value of the detectable characteristic derived from the record or abstract.  
 
     
     
         21 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising cryptographically protecting ( 60 ) the record or abstract before transmitting it to the second party.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the step of cryptographically protecting the record or abstract comprises attaching an electronic signature thereto.  
     
     
         23 . A method of processing a batch of items provided by a first to a second party, the method comprising: 
 receiving the batch of items at the second party;    receiving a record of data relating to the value of a detectable characteristic of each item in the batch or an abstract of said record by a different route from the batch of items;    obtaining a sample of items from the batch;    deriving from the record or abstract an expected value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the sample; and    verifying the batch of items by comparing the expected value of the detectable characteristic thus derived with the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the items in said sample.    
     
     
         24 . A method of processing a batch of items provided by a first to a second party, the method comprising: 
 receiving the batch of items at the second party;    receiving a record of data relating to the value of a detectable characteristic of each item in the batch or an abstract of said record by a different route from the batch of items;    deriving from the record or abstract an expected value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch; and    verifying the batch of items by comparing the expected value of the detectable characteristic thus derived with the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the items in said batch.    
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 23  or  24 , further comprising: 
 deriving an expected total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch from the record or abstract; and  
 comparing the expected total value thus derived with the actual total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch.  
 
     
     
         26 . A method according to any one of  claims 23  to  25  further comprising: 
 deriving an expected number of consecutive items in the batch having the same value of the detectable characteristic as each other from the record or abstract; and  
 comparing the expected number thus derived with the actual number of consecutive items in the batch having said same value of the detectable characteristic as each other.  
 
     
     
         27 . A method according to any one of  claims 23  to  26 , wherein the record provides a distribution profile of the detectable characteristic amongst the items in the batch.  
     
     
         28 . A method according to any one of  claims 23  to  27 , wherein the record or abstract is received from the first party by the second party in electronic format.  
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the record or abstract is received via the internet.  
     
     
         30 . A method according to any one of  claims 23  to  29 , wherein the detectable characteristic is a physical parameter of the items in the batch.  
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the physical parameter is the weight of the items in the batch.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the physical parameter is the size format of the items in the batch.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to any one of  claims 23  to  32 , wherein the detectable characteristic is a rating parameter of items in the batch.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to any one of  claims 23  to  33 , wherein the first party is a mailer, the second party is a postal service and the items in the batch are items of mail.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34  as dependent on  claim 33 , wherein the rating parameter is the postage value of the items of mail.  
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 34  as dependent on  claim 33 , wherein the rating parameter is a postal service code corresponding to the postage class and/or mode of sending of the items of mail.  
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the detectable characteristic comprises the destination address of the items of mail.  
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 34  or any one of  claims 35  to  37  as dependent on  claim 34 , wherein each item of mail in the batch has associated therewith a postage indicium based on the data relating to the value of the detectable characteristic of said item, and the method further comprises: 
 examining the postage indicia of the item of mail sampled from the batch, thereby to derive the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the sampled items for comparison with the expected value of the detectable characteristic derived from the record or abstract.  
 
     
     
         39 . A system for processing a batch of items provided by a first to a second party, the system comprising: 
 means ( 121 , 122 ) for generating a record ( 52 ) of data relating to the value of a detectable characteristic of each item in the batch; and    means for transmitting the record or an abstract thereof from the first party to the second party by a first route; and    means for transmitting the batch of items from the first party to the second party by a second route different from the first route.    
     
     
         40 . A system according to  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 means ( 18 ) for receiving the record or the abstract at the second party;    means ( 18 ) for receiving the batch of items at the second party;    means ( 22 ) for obtaining a sample of items from the batch;    means ( 22 ) for deriving from the record or abstract an expected value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the sample; and    means ( 22 ) for verifying the batch of items by comparing the expected value of the detectable characteristic thus derived with the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the items in said sample.    
     
     
         41 . A system according to  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 means ( 18 ) for receiving the record or the abstract at the second party;    means ( 18 ) for receiving the batch of items at the second party;    means ( 22 ) for deriving from the record or abstract an expected value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch; and    means ( 22 ) for verifying the batch of items by comparing the expected value of the detectable characteristic thus derived with the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the items in said batch.    
     
     
         42 . A system according to  claim 40  or  41 , further comprising: 
 means ( 14 ) for accumulating a count of the total value ( 58 ) of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch; and  
 means ( 16 ) for comparing the total value ( 58 ) of the detectable characteristic thus accumulated with a total value of the selectable characteristic derived from said record ( 52 ).  
 
     
     
         43 . A system according to any one of  claims 39  to  42 , further comprising: 
 means ( 14 ) for accumulating a count of the total number of items in the batch.  
 
     
     
         44 . A system according to  claim 42  or  claim 43 , wherein the means ( 14 ) for accumulating a count of the total value of the detectable characteristic and/or the total number of the items in the batch comprises a counter in a secure vault.  
     
     
         45 . A system according to any one of  claims 40  to  44  further comprising: 
 means for deriving an expected total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch from the record or abstract; and  
 means for comparing the expected total value thus derived with the actual total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch.  
 
     
     
         46 . A system according to any one of  claims 40  to  44  further comprising: 
 means for deriving an expected number of consecutive items in the batch having the same value of the detectable characteristic as each other from the record or abstract; and  
 means for comparing the expected number thus derived with the actual number of consecutive items in the batch having said same value of the detectable characteristic as each other.  
 
     
     
         47 . A system according to any one of  claims 39  to  46 , further comprising means for transmitting the abstract from the first party to the second party in electronic format.  
     
     
         48 . A system according to  claim 47 , wherein the means for transmitting the abstract in electronic format comprises means for transmitting the record or abstract via the internet.  
     
     
         49 . A system according to any one of  claims 39  to  48 , wherein the detectable characteristic comprises the weight of the items in the batch and the means ( 121 ) for processing said batch of items comprises a scale for determining the weight of each item.  
     
     
         50 . A system according to any one of  claims 39  to  49 , wherein the detectable characteristic comprises the size format of the items in the batch and the means ( 121 ) for processing said batch of items comprises means for measuring the size format of each item.  
     
     
         51 . A system according to any one of  claims 39  to  50 , wherein: 
 the first party is a mailer, the second party is a postal service and the items in the batch are items of mail,  
 the means for processing the batch of items comprises a mail production machine ( 121 ) of the mailer for inserting collations of documents into envelopes, thereby to generate said items of mail, under control of an inserter system controller ( 122 ) which generates the record of data relating to the value of a detectable characteristic of each item in the batch.  
 
     
     
         52 . A system according to  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 means for generating a postage indicium for each item of mail in the batch based on the data relating to the value of the detectable characteristic of said item, and wherein    the mail production machine ( 121 ) comprises a print sub-system ( 120 ) for associating the respective postage indicia with the respective items of mail prior to transmission of the batch from the mailer to the postal service.    
     
     
         53 . A system according to  claim 52 , further comprising: 
 means for examining the postage indicia of the items of mail sampled from the batch, thereby to derive the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the sampled items for comparison with the expected value of the detectable characteristic derived from the record or abstract.    
     
     
         54 . A system according to any one of  claims 39  to  53 , further comprising means for cryptographically protecting the record or abstract before transmitting it to the second party.  
     
     
         55 . A system according to  claim 54 , wherein the means for cryptographically protecting the abstract comprises means for attaching an electronic signature thereto.  
     
     
         56 . A system according to  claim 54  or  claim 55 , wherein the means for cryptographically protecting the abstract is located in a secure vault.  
     
     
         57 . A system for processing a batch of items provided by a first to a second party, the system comprising: 
 means ( 18 ) for receiving the batch of items at the second party;    means ( 18 ) for receiving a record of data relating to the value of a detectable characteristic of each item in the batch or an abstract of said record by a different route from the batch of items;    means ( 22 ) for obtaining a sample of items from the batch;    means ( 22 ) for deriving from the record or abstract an expected value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the sample; and    means ( 22 ) for verifying the batch by comparing the expected value of the detectable characteristic thus derived with the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the items in said sample.    
     
     
         58 . A system according to  claim 57 , further comprising: 
 means for deriving an expected total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch from the record or abstract; and    means for comparing the expected total value thus derived with the actual total value of the detectable characteristic of the items in the batch.    
     
     
         59 . A system according to  claim 57  or  claim 58 , further comprising: 
 means for deriving an expected number of consecutive items in the batch having the same value of the detectable characteristic as each other from the record or abstract; and  
 means for comparing the expected number thus derived with the actual number of consecutive items in the batch having said same value of the detectable characteristic as each other.  
 
     
     
         60 . A system according to any one of  claims 57  to  59 , wherein: 
 the first party is a mailer, the second party is a postal service and the items in the batch are items of mail.  
 
     
     
         61 . A system according to  claim 60 , wherein the items of mail each have a postage indicium associated therewith, and the system further comprises: 
 means for examining the postage indicia of the items of mail sampled from the batch, thereby to derive the actual value of the detectable characteristic of the sampled items for comparison with the expected value of the detectable characteristic derived from the record or abstract.